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Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the President of Iran, is to give Channel 4’s ‘alternative Christmas message’ tomorrow.

Dorothy Byrne, who is Channel 4’s head of news and current affairs said: “we are offering our viewers an insight into an alternative world view.”

The alternative world view of which she speaks is a murderously antisemitic one. It is also militantly anti lesbian and gay, anti working class, anti liberal, anti democratic, anti secular and anti feminist.

It is an indication of the increasing acceptability of antisemitism amongst some sections of antiracist left and liberal public opinion in Britain that Channel 4 would even consider hosting this man, let alone in such a prestigious and high profile editorial slot.

When Ahmadinejad addressed the UN General Assembly in September he said the following:

“The dignity, integrity and rights of the American and European people are being played with by a small but deceitful number of people called Zionists. Although they are a minuscule minority, they have been dominating an important portion of the financial and monetary centers as well as the political decision-making centers of some European countries and the US in a deceitful, complex and furtive manner.”

“It is deeply disastrous to witness that some presidential or premiere nominees in some big countries have to visit these people, take part in their gatherings, swear their allegiance and commitment to their interests in order to attain financial or media support.”

Ahmadinejad uses classic Hitlerian rhetoric which compares the Jewish state to an infections disease: “They have created a filthy black germ known as the Zionist regime”

“Ahmadinejad does not say “Jews” are conspiring to rule the world. Instead he says, “Two thousand Zionists want to rule the world.” “The Zionists have imposed themselves on a substantial portion of the banking, financial, cultural, and media sectors.” “The Zionists” fabricated the Danish Muhammad cartoons. “The Zionists thrive on war and hatred. Everywhere they exist there is war.”[11] The pattern is familiar. He invests the word “Zionist” with exactly the same meaning Hitler poured into “Jew”: the incarnation of evil. Anyone who makes Jews – whether as “Judas” or as “Zionist” – responsible for all the ills of the world is obviously driven by antisemitism. He must want to eliminate Israel, as the “germ of evil”, in order to “save” the world.”

Absolutely sickening that C4 is broadcasting anything from such a revolting bigot. Let alone on Christmas, which is supposed to be a holiday devoted to messages of peace. One can hardly consider anything said by Ahmedinijad to be in any sense, peaceful.

Viewers should boycott C4 and write letters to its management expressing outrage.

Maybe C4 is trying to establish an alternative tradition: the Muslim Ruler Christmas Greeting. And maybe they figured that Ahmadinejad is the guy who best represents Islam. Which is to say, of course, that they are not simply insulting people who are gay, Jews, Christians, etc. They are insulting Muslims as well.

A bankrupt idea from a bankrupt channel. The problem with this vogue for headline grabbing gestures amongst “news” broadcasters (who prefer to make rather than report news) is that they do not appear to realise that all actions have consequences. Hopefully Jewish, gay, liberal and human rights organisations, businesses and consumers will now withdraw their advertising/buying spend from Channel Four in protest. Channel Four is on the financial skids and giving a platform to an political thug will not help their bottom line one jot. What next: the Nick Griffin Christmas Show?

It’s outrageous for Channel 4 to allow President Ahmadinejad of Iran to give its annual Christmas message.

As you’re aware, the Ahmadinejad is a raving Jew-hater guilty of advocating genocide against Israel.
His regime lynches gays, murders Baha’is and persecutes Christians.

During the Iran-Iraq War, Ahmadinejad’s job was to train the “Basiji” children to blow themselves up clearing minefields for the cause. Thousands of Iranian children died this way – children as young as 12, usually 14 to 16-years old.

Here’s an account from the Iranian daily Ettela’at:

“In the past we had child-volunteers… They went into the mine fields… And then, a few moments later, one saw clouds of dust. When the dust had settled again, there was nothing more to be seen of them. Somewhere, widely scattered in the landscape, there lay scraps of burnt flesh and pieces of bone.”

But according to Ettela’at, things improved:

“Before entering the mine fields, the children [now] wrap themselves in blankets and they roll on the ground, so that their body parts stay together after the explosion of the mines and one can carry them to the graves.”

When he appears in public, Ahmadinejad often wears his Basiji uniform. He’s proud of having trained children to kill themselves.

And Channel 4 lets this monster, this child-murderer give the Christmas message.

I expect that before the new year, the most senior executive who signed off on giving a platform to Ahmadinejad will have resigned, and then we can start 2009 off on the right foot.